For a lot of people, being naked onstage is their worst nightmare. For me, I’m having the time of my life. In my new show Am I Right Ladies?! I talk about self-acceptance. And before I do so, I strip off most of my clothes.

In standup, what you wear is not the point. Most comics – men and women – dress for comfort, especially where long car journeys or multiple gigs in one night are concerned. But for female comedians there is always this: don’t dress too sexy. Don’t look too glam. No short skirts, no low-cut tops. They’re distracting. You want people to listen to your jokes, not ogle your boobs. Nothing should get in the way of delivering jokes. Your jokes have to speak for themselves.

You should listen to jokes regardless of what a comedian is wearing or what they look like. Scruffy comedians shouldn’t have to “smarten up” to get your attention; I shouldn’t have to dress down to get your attention. Our jokes should do that.

I like looking fly on stage. I am not going to dress dowdy or play self-deprecating just so strangers feel comfortable.

We live in a society where we are under constant scrutiny and criticism. Whatever you say there is always someone to troll or criticise it. And in my shows I make it my point to say: “Let them. So what?” Which is why I make my shows an event. They are full-on parties, a celebration of flaws. They are high energy, feelgood shows that discuss issues such as body image, mental health, sex and careers; they shine a spotlight on day-to-day things that I believe have become ridiculous.

Luisa Omielan in Am I Right Ladies?! at the Soho theatre. Photograph: Richard Davenport

Standup is an opportunity for me to address issues that are relevant to my life and that I would like to make accessible. For example, I talk about mental health, which isn’t discussed openly enough at all, let alone with humour. After I’d spoken onstage about being on antidepressants, people I’d known for years suddenly told me that they’d had similar experiences. I get the same messages from audiences. It made me feel so much better – and if I’d known before, then I’d probably have sought help sooner.

When I first started previewing Am I Right Ladies?! I’d do several jokes about body image. At the first ever preview, the joke started because I happened to be wearing body-shaping underwear called Spanx and I couldn’t breathe, and I showed the audience and they howled, so I thought I’d grab my stomach and make a point about my body. But it’s comedy – I knew I couldn’t do it half-heartedly, so I knew I had to properly take my clothes off and really show all of the Spanx. The reaction was so positive that I felt completely accepted. This became a massive part of the show.

Initially in the previews, other comics would say, “Oh that’s such a great bit but you shouldn’t do it at the beginning, you should end on that.” I always disagreed. Why should me taking my clothes off be a punchline finale? Its not a strip-show; that’s not the butt of the joke. The joke is that it’s ridiculous that it’s even an issue. In short:

A) It’s funny. Spanx are funny.

B) I’m a woman and a comedian; here are my boobs. And what? Now can you listen to me? Can we just get on with it, please?

Because I undress so early in the show, it’s important that my material speaks for itself and that it’s good enough to top that. It also creates an intimacy with the audience that mirrors the honesty of my show. It allows me to be vulnerable with my audience and create a connection with them. Also, they very quickly forget I’m performing in a bra and Spanx and it becomes about the jokes. We strip away all pretence surrounding body issues and get down to the bare facts. I love that I am a woman and I can get semi-naked to prove a point and then get on with being funny.

My audiences aren’t regular standup-goers. With no TV or radio profile I’ve still had sellout runs. It’s from word of mouth that they’ve come to see what my shows are all about. I love being onstage, every moment, and comedy enables me to turn insecurity into fearlessness, to make accessible the things that I was afraid of. I love making that connection with my audience: I feel completely loved and accepted and, most importantly, fabulous.